Falling Into Place
by Paruparo
Summary: Ayanojou Aburatsabo experiences an accident and falls into a coma. While in this coma, Aya sorts out his relationship with Nanaka with the help of a strange girl named Sajuko who looks remarkably a lot like Ayanojou himself.
1. Head On Collision

**Falling Into Place **

OreWaTensai: Ah! At last I have a fic for Nanaka and Aburatsabo! Yey, I hope you review it!

this takes place after high school and the whole gang is attending college.

****

**Chapter One- Head on Collision**

_ 'Oh Takeo…'_

Ayanojou was totally engrossed with a world of his own. Now that he, Takeo and the whole gang were attending different classes, Aya really missed everybody. Most especially Takeo… Or so Aya thought. These days he found himself thinking more and more about Nanaka. More than he thought was enough.

Aya unconsciously began thinking about Nanaka again.

_'I wonder what she's doing right now? Hmm….' _Vague images of Nanaka began to swirl around in his head.

He would have continued on thinking about Nanaka if not for a voice that disturbed him.

"Aburatsabo! Aburatsabo!" said a feminine voice.

Ayanojou shook those thoughts out of his head and snapped out of his daydreaming.

"What's wrong?" asked Aya, looking around. There was no one in the classroom. "Strange… I thought I heard somebody. I must be stressed. I better go home now."

Aya wearily stood up and picked up his bag. He walked out into the busy streets and started to make his way home.

He was waiting to cross the street when he saw a red-haired girl right smack in the middle of the road. Strangely, everything disappeared. The noisy cars, the noisy people… everything. Now the road was empty.

The girl smiled at Aya.

"Hello. Come over here, Aburatsabo."

"Who- who are you? How do you know my name?" asked Aya.

The girl chuckled. "I just know."

"You didn't answer my question. Who are you?" Aya's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, somebody you know. I'm Sajuko…" Replied the girl.

Aya and the mysterious Sajuko actually had remarkable alikeness. The girl had very long red hair like Aya but instead of having green eyes, she had blue eyes.

"Trust me. Come here, Aya…" said Sajuko in a hypnotic voice.

"Sajuko?" echoed Aya, stepping forward.

"That's right, come here." Said Sajuko.

Aya slowly walked towards Sajuko with a glazed look in his eyes. He stepped very lightly and gently until he was in the middle of the street. Sajuko was smiling now.

"I think I know you…" said Aya in a dreamy voice.

"Oh, Aya!" shouted Sajuko who suddenly embraced Aya, "Brace yourself!"

In a rush of color and sound, everything came back. Aya became aware again of the busy sounds of the city. And he also became aware that he was standing in the middle of the road, alone, without the mysterious Sajuko.

He did not remember all that happened next. All that he saw before he blacked out was a pair of blinding headlights and the sound of a blaring horn…

=--=

OreWaTensai: Hehe do you get it now? The reson why I named the chapter head on collision?


	2. Reunion

Falling Into Place  
  
Chapter Two- Reunion  
  
Takeo was having a fitful night. Every hour or so, he would wake up from a nightmare bathed in cold sweat. That night, something just felt wrong. Takeo kept dreaming about a vague image of a girl and then getting hit by a car.  
  
Once again, Takeo woke up breathing heavily.  
  
"Oh damn..." Takeo rubbed his eyes, "I must have eaten something rotten."  
  
As if on cue, the phone started to ring. Takeo yawned and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello? Takeo Takakura here." Said Takeo sleepily.  
  
"This is Takeo, right?" said a strained female voice. The woman seemed to be vying for control.  
  
"Mrs. Aburatsabo?" asked Takeo who was getting worried.  
  
"Takeo, something bad has happened. Something very bad..." said Ayanojou's mother who was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Wait a minute, something bad has happened to whom?" Takeo's eyes widened in realization, "Ayanojou?"  
  
"Yes." croaked Mrs. Aburatsabo. "Takeo, I know you're such a good friend of my muffin. Maybe you can help. Would you please come over here?"  
  
"Yes, alright." Takeo started to pull on a pair of pants, "Could you tell me what hospital?"  
  
Takeo shuddered involuntarily. His dreams were a dark premonition of what had happened yesterday...  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
The next day...  
  
Sae was not her usual self that morning. Something just didn't feel right. Last night, she had called up Nanaka expressing that feeling. Nanaka had felt the same thing. But she dismissed it, saying it must be some kind of illness or what.  
  
Out of restlessness, Sae also called up Akane. But when Sae called Akane, she didn't seem affected at all. So Sae just ignored the strange feeling she was having and went to bed.  
  
She was awakened however by the ringing of the phone beside her.  
  
"He-hello?" she stuttered yet again.  
"Sae? It's me, Takeo."  
  
"Oh! Takeo I uh well why-" Sae turned red, "Why did you call, Takeo?"  
  
Usually, Takeo would be all cheerful when he spoke to Sae. But now, he seemed very serious about something. Sae wondered what it could be.  
  
"Sae, there's been an accident." Said Takeo gravely.  
  
"Accident? No way! Are you hurt, Takeo?" exclaimed Sae.  
  
"No, Sae, it's not me. It's Ayanojou."  
  
"Wha-what's happened?"  
  
"He got hit by a car..."  
  
"That's terrible!"  
  
"Sae, could you please tell Akane and Nanaka for me? I'm staying by Aya's bed side and I'm a little tired. We're in the local hospital."  
  
"Y-yes of course! How is he?"  
  
"He's fine but... I'll explain it later when you three girls get here..."  
  
Takeo hung up without another word. Sae scrambled out of her bed and dressed quickly. She fumbled with the buttons of her shirt for a few minutes until she finally buttoned everything up. She then proceeded to call Nanaka.  
  
-=-=-=-=-  
  
At the hospital...  
  
Nanaka, Sae and Akane entered the hospital room of Aya. A tired Takeo opened the door for them. In one corner, they saw Mrs. Aburatsabo asleep on a couch. In another was the open window, and sunshine was streaming through it.  
  
And there on the bed... bandaged and connected to life support devices was an unconscious Aya with his beautiful hair strewn around his face.  
  
"Oh my god!" whispered Nanaka.  
  
"Aya-chan!" said Sae, running to Aya's bed.  
  
Akane was speechless. She had never gone through anything like this before. It was such a shock to her. Takeo guided her to a chair.  
  
"What's happened to him, Takeo?" asked Nanaka, eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"He got hit by a car." Replied Takeo.  
  
Sae tried to smile. "Well, he's okay now isn't he? He should be able to wake up!"  
  
"Sae, I don't think you should..." started Takeo.  
  
Sae took Aya's hand and squeezed it.  
  
"Aya! Please wake up!" said Sae.  
  
Akane ran to Aya's side as well.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" said Akane, bursting into tears.  
  
"Aya! Aya! It's Sae! Please wake up." Repeated Sae who was crying as well.  
  
Aya did not stir.  
  
"Aya! Please... please wake up..." said Sae in between her tears.  
  
Takeo looked away. Nanaka seemed to know already exactly what was wrong with Ayanojou. That was why Nanaka was sobbing into her hands.  
  
"AYA! Wake up!" said Sae, who was bawling by now.  
  
Nanaka couldn't stand it anymore. "Stop it, Sae!" she shouted.  
  
"Oh, Nanaka... what's wrong with him?" Sae embraced Nanaka.  
  
"Don't you see it, Sae?" Nanaka croaked. "He's in a coma!"  
  
"Then he may... he may never wake up!" Akane broke off with a sob.  
  
-=-=-=-=-  
  
Meanwhile, in Aya's subconscious...  
  
"Oww..." said Aya, "Where am I?"  
  
Aya opened his eyes and found himself in a wide grassy field. He stood up and looked around.  
  
"Wait a minute... I was just hit by a car..." Aya suddenly thought of something very scary. "AM I DEAD?!"  
  
Aya pinched himself, hoping to wake in the real world. Nothing happened. His arm just hurt.  
  
"No, this is not true! NO! NOOOO!!! I can't be dead!!!" Aya shouted at the top of his lungs, with wide and terrified eyes.  
  
Suddenly, he heard somebody giggling behind him. He turned around and saw... Sajuko.  
  
"Who— Sajuko! You! You killed me!" said Aya.  
  
Now, this would've been funny if not for the serious circumstances we're in. Sajuko threw her head back and laughed.  
  
"This is funny." Said Sajuko cheerfully, with her hair blown by a soft wind.  
  
"What's so funny about getting killed?!" retaliated Aya.  
  
"Correction. I tried to get you killed. But you're not exactly dead right now." Said Sajuko, smiling.  
  
"What do you mean?" At this time, Aya's face was contorted with fury, "You killed me, I saw it with my own two eyes!"  
  
"Oh? No, you're not dead yet. I assure you." Replied Sajuko.  
  
"Then what's happened to me?"  
  
"You're in a coma."  
  
"A coma?"  
  
"Yes. Here, let me show you what's happening now in the real world." Sajuko moved her hand and the whole scenery dissolved into a big screen.  
  
Aya watched Nanaka, Sae and Akane crying over him. He also saw Takeo, standing in the corner. Then he saw his mother, sleeping on the couch. This touching scene really melted his heart. He had a feeling that this was what was really happening.  
  
He was beginning to believe what Sajuko was telling him.  
  
"How long have I been in this coma?" asked Aya.  
  
"Not too long. Just a day."  
  
"Will I ever wake up?"  
  
"It depends if you want to."  
  
"I do! I want to go back now! Everybody's worried about me! My mom must have cried herself to sleep!"  
  
Sajuko flicked her hand and the grassy field scenery came back again.  
  
"Are you so sure?" said Sajuko with another mysterious smile.  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"You are willing to go back and get hurt again?"  
  
"Get hurt?"  
  
"Yes. You're confused, aren't you? You like Takeo. But you like Nanaka as well. And this is causing you pain..." Sajuko placed herself beside Aya.  
  
Aya knitted his brow. "What are you talking about? I like only Takeo..."  
  
"Oh my dear Aya... Don't deny the truth." Sajuko embraced Aya.  
  
"Stop it. I've forgotten all about Nanaka."  
  
"Ssshh... you don't need to lie to me..."  
  
"I am not lying!" Aya released himself from Sajuko's embrace.  
  
"Then, you're saying you hate Nanaka."  
  
"No! I don't hate Nanaka! I like her... but only as a friend."  
  
"It's either you love one and hate the other."  
  
"I don't hate her!"  
  
"Aya, don't you hate her for hurting you? Don't you hate her for confusing you about your feelings for Takeo? Don't you hate her for just existing?"  
  
"I... I don't hate her, stop saying those things!"  
  
"But you say you don't love her either. What is it, Aya, love or hate?"  
  
"I- I don't know! I don't want to talk about it..."  
  
Aya walked away from Sajuko, fighting the urge to cry.  
  
"Oh Aya... if you would only listen to your heart..."  
  
With those words, Sajuko disappeared from Aya's subconscious. 


	3. Confusion

Falling Into Place  
  
Chapter 3- Confusion  
  
In Aya's subconscious, the scenery never changes. It is constantly sunny, but the sun wasn't too hot. In fact, this place seemed almost like paradise. But not to Aya of course.  
  
He was lying down on the grass, absent-mindedly watching the clouds. He had given up whacking himself, pinching himself, biting himself, even pulling his wonderful hair... none of these worked at all. So he decided to just lie around and wait for whatever would happen. He picked a daisy from the ground. And predictably, he began to pluck its petals one by one...  
  
"He loves me, he loves me not," said Aya dreamily, "He loves me—"  
  
Quite unexpectedly, Sajuko appeared and plucked the last petal.  
  
"He loves you," said Sajuko loudly, "NOT!"  
  
Aya turned blue.  
  
"AAAAH!" shouted Aya, scrambling away from Sajuko. "Why can't you just go away and die?!"  
  
"I can't die." Sajuko smiled. "I don't even really exist. At least in your world."  
  
"What are you then? A ghost? Rest in peace already!!!"  
  
Sajuko threw her head back and laughed.  
  
"That's what I like about you. You're always so funny." She said cheerily.  
  
"Shut up. You're annoying me." Said Aya, turning sour.  
  
"Aww... I don't like it when you become like that. It reminds me of you, when you were in elementary..."  
  
"What would you know about that?" snapped Aya.  
  
Sajuko looked straight into Aya's eyes.  
  
"Come with me." Said Sajuko, grabbing Aya's hand.  
  
The grassy scenery whirled into a blur. Sajuko and Aya seemed to be flying somewhere but the scenery they were passing through were what seemed to be windows that were showing some scenes that were vaguely familiar to Aya.  
  
"Where are we going?" asked Aya, trying to get a look at each of the windows.  
  
"You'll see..."  
  
"What are these window things?"  
  
"Don't you remember?"  
  
Aya recognized one of the scenes from the windows. It was when the Magic Users Club had fought the strange aliens.  
  
"Don't tell me... these are my memories?" Aya's eyes widened.  
  
Sajuko giggled and they stopped abruptly in front of one of the rather faded-looking windows.  
  
"You're very smart." Commented Sajuko.  
  
"... This is..."  
  
The memory within the window began to play itself, like some kind of VCD player.  
  
-memory/flashback-  
  
This scene happened in elementary,in Aya's former classroom  
  
Aya had short hair back then and a couple of kids were circled around him, teasing him.  
  
"Ha! Look at that idiot Aburatsabo!" said a rather ugly kid.  
  
"Hello, I'm Aya, I'm sooo pretty!" said another.  
  
"You teacher's pet! I'm surprised you're not helping Ms. Fuyuzuki!" said a girl.  
  
Aya retreated into a corner, covering his ears.  
  
"What's the matter? Chickening out?" said the ugly kid.  
  
Somebody opened the door of the classroom.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing to Aburatsabo-san?" said a small, cute voice.  
  
"Oh, it's you Takeo. What are you doing here? Here to defend your boyfriend, aren't you?" said a girl.  
  
"Shut up. Leave Aya alone!" said Takeo, looking anything but threatening.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. We'll leave you alone with your pretty boyfriend, Takeo. I have advice for you though. Try to get a real girl for a girlfriend next time." Said a burly kid, leading the whole troop out of the room.  
  
Takeo approached Aya.  
  
"You ok, Aya?" asked Takeo in a concerned voice.  
  
Aya looked up at Takeo and burst into tears.  
  
"Now, now, stop that. Boys don't cry." Said Takeo.  
  
But instead of stopping, Aya started to bawl. Then, to Takeo's surprise, Aya lunged into his arms.  
  
"Oh dear..." said Takeo, patting Aya's back, "So you are gay..."  
  
Aya nodded fiercely into Takeo's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry... I can't help it." Said Aya.  
  
"Don't worry. It's not your fault. I read somewhere that it happens because of your genes." Said Takeo.  
  
"Takeo..." said Aya reverently.  
  
-end of memory/flashback-  
  
Aya froze in shock. Sajuko seemed to be dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.  
  
"Oh that is so sad..." said Sajuko. "Maybe it would've been romantic if it was a boy and girl relationship."  
  
"Shut up, it is romantic!" shot back Aya.  
  
"Yes, well, it was the time you really became close with Takeo."  
  
"Hmph. You wouldn't understand me. You're not a guy."  
  
"I think you should stop saying things like that. Don't you realize? I AM you."  
  
"You are?" said Aya, quite puzzled.  
  
"Yes. Ooh, I wanna see that memory again." Said Sajuko, reaching to touch the window pane.  
  
"Stop," said Aya, gripping Sajuko's arm, "—that. I don't want to see that memory again. Once is enough."  
  
"Why? The memory makes you think about Nanaka, doesn't it? You're thinking whether you should like Takeo more than her because you've been together longer."  
  
"No, it doesn't." stated Aya flatly.  
  
"Aya, why can't you accept the facts? Takeo has no romantic interest in you whatsoever. Takeo loves Sae. Now, Nanaka—"  
  
"Stop it!" shouted Aya.  
  
"Nanaka loves you, Aya, from the bottom of her heart. Can't you at least try to love her the same way?"  
  
"No! I love Takeo and no one else!" Aya replied angrily. "He was kind to me when no one else was. And Nanaka likes me because of my good looks. Tell me, who would you love more?!"  
  
"Nanaka liked you not because of your physical attributes. She liked your kindness and sincerity. If Nanaka liked you just because of your looks and talents and skills, wouldn't she just be one of your stupid groupies?"  
  
Aya's head began to hurt violently.  
  
"Stop it... stop it... just please..." Aya sat down on the floor and hugged his knees.  
  
"Aya... ssshhh..." Sajuko's face softened as Aya began to shed silent tears.  
  
"Stop it... please stop..." said Aya, in the same way he did when he was still a kid. Every time the kids would tease him, he would always curl up into a ball and cry. Now he couldn't fight the urge to do so. He was just so confused. So very confused...  
  
OreWaTensai: Gomen! I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long, and sorry if Aya seems very much out of character. You must understand that Sajuko is pounding him for answers, and Aya does not want to even think about those answers. Besides, it's a real crisis for him and nobody can help him at all. He likes Takeo and Nanaka as well. You see, if he decides to keep one and drop the other he would be eternally unhappy. On the other hand, if he keeps both, he loses both.  
  
So bear with me and thank you for the reviews! 


	4. Magic Spell

Falling Into Place  
  
Chapter 4- Magic Spell  
  
Meanwhile in Aya's hospital room...  
  
The whole Magic Users club was gathered there. It had already been two weeks since Aya's accident but he still did not wake up. But Sae, Akane, Takeo and especially Nanaka refused to give up. They knew that somehow, some way they could bring back Aya. They would do anything, anything at all.  
  
"Hey, Takeo... so what about that spell you were talking about?" said Sae.  
  
"Well, uh, I'm really not sure whether it would really work..." replied Takeo hesitantly.  
  
"In that case, we just have to try." Said Nanaka firmly.  
  
"So what is this spell?" asked Akane.  
  
"Ummm it's a spell to get into somebody's subconscious. But it's very dangerous. If you don't manage to get out again, you'll be stuck there forever..." Takeo coughed, "That's why I'm still debating whether we really should take that risk."  
  
"I'm willing to do that." Nanaka stood up, "I'll take that risk. Aya's life is on the line here and he's counting on us."  
  
"Besides he would do the same thing for us, won't he?" asked Akane.  
  
"Well... I don't know. I mean if this fails, we'll have two persons in a coma..." Takeo fingered his wand nervously.  
  
"Don't worry! I'm sure we can do this." Said Sae.  
  
Takeo took a deep breath. "Alright, who are we sending into Aya's mind?"  
  
Immediately, Nanaka raised her hand.  
  
"I'll go." She said loudly, "I can do this."  
  
"Very well. Nanaka, please place the tip of your wand on Aya's forehead." Takeo motioned for the others to gather around the bed.  
  
"I hope this works." Said Akane.  
  
Takeo and the others all closed their eyes to concentrate. They must not fail Aya. The curtains whipped up as the wind suddenly began to blow harder.  
  
"Repeat after me." Said Takeo, "Aria frellera skadi alkrumen!"  
  
Everybody chanted the phrase over and over again. The lights above began to flicker as their chanting became louder and louder. Nanaka braced herself for the grave task that was appointed to her. Sae looked very very nervous. Akane looked extremely serious for once.  
  
"Nanaka, get ready." Muttered Takeo.  
  
The lights began to flicker even more and the furniture began to shake violently. Nanaka's whole body became engulfed with a strange blue light. The spell was beginning to take effect. Takeo, Sae and Akane finally shouted the spell for the last time.  
  
"ARIA FRELLERA SKADI ALKRUMEN!" (I made that up... hehe)  
  
There was a blinding flash of blue light and Nanaka's unconscious body fell to the floor.  
  
"Nanaka! Are you alright?" Sae panicked and dropped her wand.  
  
"The spell didn't work!" shouted Akane.  
  
"No, no don't worry. It did work. You see, we sent Nanaka's consciousness to Aya's subconscious. So Nanaka would fall into a deep sleep because she can't be conscious if we sent her consciousness to Aya's subconscious." Explained Takeo.  
  
A question mark appeared above Sae's and Akane's heads. They clearly did not understand a thing about what Takeo was rambling about.  
  
"Come again?" asked Akane.  
  
"Oh, never mind. Let's just hope Nanaka is successful..." said Takeo who was slightly worried.  
  
"Yeah, I really hope she is..." said Sae, supporting Nanaka's body.  
  
OreWaTensai: Haha... siraulo talaga ako. Ahem, anyway sorry for the short chapters. That's just the way I write! 


End file.
